Inorganic Acid Technology ?

[Ralph Whitaker]

Just bought some blue antifreeze to top up my 3a after re fitting the radiator. I notice on the front it says incorporates Inorganic acid technology. Not come across this before but as it it not Organic Acid am I to assume it is OK to use.

Ralph

[RogerH]

Hi Ralph,

 you should be OK

I just lifted this from Google

AI Overview

Bluecol antifreeze is a premium, high-performance engine coolant brand established in 1937, offering trusted protection against extreme temperatures and corrosion. Their range includes traditional 2-year blue IAT formula for older vehicles, as well as 5-year,, long-life, and universal "Clear" options designed to mix with any color or type. 

 

[Ralph Whitaker]

Thanks Roger, I thought it might be OK but nice to get it confirmed.

Ralph

[trchris]

16 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi Ralph,

 you should be OK

I just lifted this from Google

AI Overview

Bluecol antifreeze is a premium, high-performance engine coolant brand established in 1937, offering trusted protection against extreme temperatures and corrosion. Their range includes traditional 2-year blue IAT formula for older vehicles, as well as 5-year,, long-life, and universal "Clear" options designed to mix with any color or type. 

 

Hi Roger that’s interesting “Clear” option that mixes with all types that sounds like the Prestone version? Do you think that it can be used instead of their blue type and last longer between changes? or is it just used for topping up
Chris
 

[RogerH]

Sounds like it can be used when & wherever

Roger

[trchris]

Just been on the bluecol website and it states that the “clear” can be used to top up any antifreeze and in doing so revitalise the existing coolant for up to 5 years…interesting 

Chris

[RogerH]

10 minutes ago, trchris said:

Just been on the bluecol website and it states that the “clear” can be used to top up any antifreeze and in doing so revitalise the existing coolant for up to 5 years…interesting 

Chris

perhaps I should be taking this intravenously

[harlequin]

If the clear will mix with any antifreeze it may be somthing that could be used to dissolve the sludge created when blue and pink antifreeze are mixed? I am thinking about Pete's aka BFG thread "the cat is out of the bag" where he raised the sludge issue on his XK

George 

 

[RobH]

According to the MSDs the main ingredients are Ethylene Glycol with a small proportion of  Borax as the corrosion-inhibitor.  That doesn't sound much different to the normal blue stuff.  There may be minor quantities of other chemicals but if they are not hazardous they are not listed on the data sheet. 

Remember that the anti-freeze properties of a coolant do not change markedly with time - it is the anti-corrosion additives that get used up.  

I can't imagine that just occasional  topping up with this does much revitalising even when used 'neat'.  Surely you would have to replace a significant quantity of the coolant to do that. 

 

 

Edited April 14 by RobH

[Ian Vincent]

FWIW If you are using Fernox Alphi 11, it has a recommended corrosion control life of 5 - 7 years but can be topped up by adding Fernox F1 (which is the corrosion inhibitor) to top up the inhibitor levels.  F1 is available from Screwfix for about £20 for 500 ml which in a normal household system is sufficient for 130 litres of water.

I use Fernox in my TR3a and have done since 2022 and when I checked it recently, the coolant was as 'gin' clear.

Rgds Ian

[Richard71]

Should the Fermox Alphi 11 simply be added to our normal antifreeze mixture? The full contents of 500ml?

Richard. 

[Andy Moltu]

If you are changing your antifreeze it's wise to flush the system until it runs clear so that you prevent any incompatibility issues between the new and old inhibitor packages.

I think Ian was suggesting that the Fernox Alphi 11 is the antifreeze/inhibitor mix and that the Fernox Alphi 1 is the inhibitor top up.

By and large it's not the antifreeze that decays over time, it's the inhibitor that has a more limited duration of functional life, hence the topping up with the F1. I would be dubious of using it to top up other brands of antifreeze other than the Fernox Alphi 11.